Milk Run 5K and the Minnesota State Fair

The Milk Run was my very first race back in 2005.  I ran it again in 2006 and 2007 and I think that was my fastest year as well.  Since then I stopped registering or wasn't in town to make it work, but kept going to the fair.  2008 was the year of the Chicken, 2010 was the year of 'why we don't ride Sky Gondolas', and in 2013 a friend reintroduced me to the awesomeness that is the Milk Run and put it back in my brain....

Milk Run: or as I like to call it the Pain Train.  The course winds around the Falcon Heights neighborhood and seems like it should be awesome and lovely.  And then you see the course profile and you're all 'well welcome to hell'.  I planned emotionally to be on the pain train for this entire race.  Because really, a 5K is no time to hold back.  But with a bachelorette party the night before and 4 hours of sleep, I wasn't planning on a PR either.   I just wanted to see what I could do.  I was disappointed that I didn't get the last mile faster than 10:00, but I really couldn't breathe by then anyways so I guess it's fine.  Chip time: 33:46

Fair Fun: Lucinda and I and a friend of hers saw most of the fair.  My legs were absolutely killing me by the end of the day.  I've never wished for compression socks and a foam roller so bad in my entire life.

Highlights of this year's fair

• The horses: It's hilarious they bring in the miniatures and then the Clydesdale group next.  Excellent juxtaposition.
• Poultry Barn: I got excellent pictures of the chickens I think
• SkyTower: where I am I still afraid
• The Fine Arts Building: it's always so much better than I expect it to be
• Bonus highlight: The Raptor Center.  It was too late for a tour when we stopped but we did get to see a couple animals close up

Fair Fails this year

• Fried Buckeyes: I was originally very excited for the food of my original people to be served to the food of my adopted people, but they got bad reviews and the picture just didn't look right so we stayed away.  Too bad.
• Commonwealth Ave is no longer open to pedestrian traffic.  What the actual fuck?!?  This irked Lucinda to no end.  It didn't bother me 'till later when I realized it literally added a mile of walking each way to the car.  I'm so glad I didn't know that at the time because I would've tried to climb the fence.
• No compression socks and no ibuprofen.  Seriously.  I hurt. A lot.